Google cracked down on Chinese app developer CooTek, banning the company from its Play Store for violating a policy prohibiting disruptive adverts, BuzzFeed News reported.
More than 60 of the company’s apps were purged from the Play Store, with Google telling BuzzFeed News more removals would follow: “When violations are found, we take action.”
The move comes after BuzzFeed News found CooTek apps continued to serve disruptive ads after the company promised to remove a problematic plug-in which inundated users with video and audio ads even when devices were locked or asleep.
In June, security company Lookout noted the issue was so severe it rendered devices “nearly unusable”.
“Users have reported being unable to answer calls or interact with other apps, due to the persistent and pervasive nature of the ads displayed,” Lookout security engineer Kristina Balaam wrote in a blog about the problem.
In a statement, CooTek denied wrongdoing, arguing “there was not any re-engagement on the ad activity pointed out by Lookout”.
CooTek is the second major Chinese app developer to be banned from the Play Store this year: in April, Google kicked Do Global out [1] after BuzzFeed found it was committing advertising fraud and hiding app ownership details.
[1] https://www.mobileworldlive.com/apps/news-apps/google-ditches-do-global-apps/
